


For The Love of Sweet Orange Apples

by irradiations



Category: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Patient and doctor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-01
Updated: 2012-09-01
Packaged: 2017-11-13 08:16:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/501380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irradiations/pseuds/irradiations
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Twilight Sparkle catches terrible flu, and it comes to Applejack to look after her girl.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For The Love of Sweet Orange Apples

**Author's Note:**

  * For [VampirePaladin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/VampirePaladin/gifts).



> This is written in the same kind of style as an episode of the cartoon. I hope you enjoy it!

Twilight Sparkle could not remember waking up feeling much worse. Her head  
pounded, every blink seemed amplified into a thousand decibel noise, limbs heavy  
as lead, eyes sticky. "Oh, my head," she whispered to herself, lifting her head then  
dropping it back onto the pillow as though it was made of lead.

 

Typical. The one day Spike has gone back come to Canterlot and Twilight can  
hardly move herself, let alone fetch a drink or some food, and add into that that she  
promised Applejack they'd spend the day together and Twilight began to feel worse  
all over again.

 

Licking her lips, Twilight decided that she simply had to get herself up and get a  
drink. This flu bug was making her super dehydrated, and her magic couldn't  
produce her a bucket of water. That meant getting up. She focused on getting one  
hoof to the floor, then a second, followed by her back two hooves, struggling up until  
she was standing. She stumbled her way into the main part of the library, grabbing  
the rail with her cheek and letting it support her heavy head all the way down.

 

She ran a bucket of water and drank deeply, sitting down in the kitchen area heavily,  
completely exhausted just from that short journey. At least she felt like she could  
breathe now, she thought, resting her head against the counter edge, though getting  
back up to bed seemed near impossible.

 

She laid herself on the wooden floor, drifting into a fever-induced sleep.

*-*-*

Applejack had had a productive morning. Three new sapling trees had been  
planted, she'd washed all the pie dishes they'd used the day before and she'd  
packed a picnic ready to take out on hers and Twilights date.

 

It wasn't an official date. They just liked to call them dates, but after so long being  
together, their dates were so frequent they stopped calling them that a while ago.  
Either way, Applejack set off with her picnic in her packs to go and collect Twilight  
from the library. She'd found a quiet, secluded little glade, had enough food for all  
afternoon and a spring in her step.

 

As she pushed open the library door, Applejack called, "Twilight?" There was no  
reply, so Applejack walked in a little, her hoofbeats rebounding off of the walls. "Twilight?" she called again, now trotting slowly through the library, ears pricked for a single sign of the unicorn.

 

Trotting into the kitchen, Applejack skidded to a halt, staring at Twilight asleep on the floor. She dropped the two panniers of picnic goodies onto the nearest counter and trotted to Twilight's side, nudging their cheeks together. "Twilight? Wake up girlie!"

 

Twilight peeled her eyes open groggily, blinking at Applejack's worried face and trying to force it to focus. "Applejack? I'm so sorry I'm late," she said, her voice so loud to her delicate ears. She groaned gently and closed her eyes, pinging them open when Applejack said her name again. 

 

"I think you need to get yourself back to bed," Applejack said, nudging Twilight's head up gently. "C'mon, you can lean on me," she added, helping Twilight struggle to her hooves and start to stumble towards the staircase. Twilight was heavy against Applejack, clearly beyond exhausted, and Applejack felt a small pang of worry as she helped her girl into bed, tucking the blankets around her. "Now you just rest up here, I'll get a nice fire goin' and we'll get you right as rain in no time."

 

Twilight made a small sound of agreement, burrowing into the blankets so only the very tip of her horn was visible. Applejack leant down and pressed a gentle kiss beside Twilight's ear, then set to work building up a good sized fire in the grate of Twilight's room. She kept glancing anxiously over at Twilight, worried her girl was more than just a little sick.

 

She brewed up some weak dandelion tea, leaving a large cupful beside Twilight's bed for her to drink when it was cold. Applejack stood beside Twilight's bed, looking down on the unicorn with a worried expression. "I'm going to get the doctor, alright?" she said, nudging back a piece of mane which had fallen into Twilight's face.

 

Applejack didn't wait for a reply, knowing that Twilight was already asleep, instead trotting out of the library and hunting for the doctor.

*-*-*

"And she can't get out of bed?" Applejack shook her head, feeing more and more frustrated that she had repeated her story to a nurse, a receptionist and now the Ponyville doctor. "Then it's flu. Keep her fluids up and make sure she eats."

 

"How long could she had had flu?" Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

The doctor frowned at the enquiry, obviously not used to being challenged. He answered, "Well, at least 2 days, possibly longer."

 

"Well then, it's not flu. Twilight was right as rain yesterday." Applejack crossed her front legs as though that ended the conversation. The doctor merely looked at her over his glasses, dismissing her with a look. With a sigh, Applejack conceded, "Okay, if she's no better, y'all better come and see her."

 

"Yes Applejack," he replied, very close to sounding bored. Applejack got up with a huff, stalking out of the little surgery without a backwards glance.

 

She walked back to the library via the little store, picking up some camomile to make a tea for Twilight. The whole time she spent out she found herself muttering about how rude the doctor had been, his manner really riling her up. She made a mental note to 'forget' to deliver his next order of fresh apple pies just as she returned to the library with her little shop goodies.

 

Applejack trotted directly up to Twilight's room, settling on the edge of the bed and looking down at Twilight. She woke her gently, shaking her shoulder, and saying, "Hey, Twilight? Doctor says you've gotcha'self a flu. You'll be alright in a day or two."

 

"Thank you, Applejack," Twilight replied, smiling. She curled herself up under the covers, wriggling a little to make some space for Applejack, then invited her girl to sleep there with her.

Twilight slept so much better knowing Applejack was there.

*-*-*

Over the next couple of days, Twilight spent the majority of her time tucked up safe and warm in bed, while Applejack brought her teas, fruit, vegetables and soup, the pair curling up together when Twilight was tired to help her sleep better.

 

Spike returned on the fourth day of Twilight's flu, and joined in the efforts to cheer her up, bringing her books and keeping her company as she started to get stronger. Rarity dropped by a beautiful ribbon, stating that she always felt better when she had a new accessory to wear. Rainbow Dash gave Twilight an enthusiastic re-enactment of her daring leap to save a small bunny from injury after falling from a small cliff, bringing books crashing down around their ears but a delighted laugh from Twilight, who hadn't smiled in days.

 

Fluttershy visited and brought around a pair of baby ducks whose mother was also sick like Twilight. The little ducks padded around on Twilight's bed, quacking happily when Applejack brought them a little basin of warm water to paddle in and entertaining all four of them by chasing each other around.

 

Twilight took ten days to begin to feel better, but had a dash of sadness mixed into her recovery. On her last day in bed, before she and Applejack had agreed that she should try and go outside, she said to Applejack, "I find it strange that Pinkie Pie hasn't been over." 

 

Applejack had wondered what was bothering her girl, and was surprised at what it was now that she knew. "I'm sure she'll be around tomorrow, making you laugh like old times."

 

Twilight smiled sadly; she was over-whelmed by a feeling like Pinkie Pie had forgotten her, that since she'd been sick maybe Pinkie had needed her. Twilight took a lot of her friend's feelings upon herself, despite other ponies warning her not to, and now she was worried that she'd somehow upset Pinkie Pie. "Can you go and see her?"

 

Applejack rolled her eyes, smiling kindly at Twilight. "Oh, Sparkle, you just worry yourself too much. Now you finish up your tea, and we'll get some sleep.

*-*-*

The next day was warm and bright, everything feeling fresh and clean after a heavy rainstorm. Twilight woke up first, climbing out of bed around Applejack who was peacefully sleeping away the morning, going down the stairs and fetching herself a drink. She was finally starting to feel more pony-like, less like she had died then been all warmed up.

 

Applejack joined her shortly after, finding Twilight whiling away the time with a book of magic, containing mainly spells for creating things such as baskets and what not. Applejack sat beside Twilight, who rested her head against Applejack's shoulder and read the book to her, animatedly explaining how each spell worked and the technicalities behind developing new spells.

 

Once they'd finished the book chapter, Applejack insisted they go out for a walk. They bathed and Twilight did their hair, being sure to include the beautiful white bow Rarity had brought her to ease her recovery in her mane. By the time lunch came, they were both beautifully turned out and trotting out of the door with heads held high.

 

Instantly as Twilight's front hooves crossed her threshold, a loud hooting noise nearly deafened her, followed swiftly by Pinkie Pie shouting "SURPRISE!" as loud as she could.

 

Many other ponies took up the shout too, a chorus of 'surprises' sounding from around the town square. "We heard you were better, and Pinkie Pie just couldn't resist throwing you a party," Rarity explained, adjusting the bow in Twilight's mane in a friendly way.

 

"So I threw you the biiiiggest party EVER!" Pinkie added, bounding up to Twilight, who grabbed the younger pony in a big hug.

 

"Thank you, Pinkie! I was worried I had upset you," Twilight admitted shyly, smiling at Pinkie Pie who laughed.

 

"Oh no! I was just too busy planning your party to visit! Look, there are presents," Pinkie replied, pointing at a large pile of gifts with Twilight's name on them.

 

There were many gifts, a lot of food and beautiful decorations for them all to enjoy. Applejack stayed near to Twilight all day long, making sure she rested frequently and stayed hydrated, smiling kindly whenever someone would say how well Twilight looked or how happy ponies were to see her up and about.

 

As the afternoon turned into evening, Applejack insisted that Twilight be rushed off to bed, though she wished she could have stayed longer. She felt happy, content that all in the world was as it should be, and as she curled up in bed that night, all wrapped up in Applejack and duvets, she thought about her next letter to Princess Celestia.

 

__

Dear Princess Celestia,

Today, I learnt that no matter what, you can rely on your friends for anything. Just when I was worried about missing out on things with my friends. But Applejack proved that everything can work out fine in the end.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle.


End file.
